The Parrot and the Lie

This stanza was written late on the night of January 30th, when the Commons debated a series of amendments, at least one of which might have resulted in Parliament wresting control of the Brexit process from May’s Tory government. That result failed to materialise.

Instead, the Tories enjoyed some rare moments of apparent unity. They came together around a puerile fantasy that, out of the blue, the EU would agree to make a change that the EU has said all along and repeatedly that it would not. But that’s all right. Their own unity comes first and delusion is acceptable so long as it brings the family together, if only for a few hours. And Yvette Cooper’s sensible and adult amendment that would have prevented No Deal was voted down – due partly to a fear among some of her own party’s MP’s that by thus disturbing the suicidal delusions of their constituents, they might lose their seats.

Quote from “Speak, Parrot” by John Skelton : “Parrot is my own dear heart and my dear darling.”